Storage-battery indicator



Oct. 13, 1925- G. A. JENSEN STORAGE BATTERY INDICATOR Filed llay 3, 1924 IN VEN TOR. Q/l @2180 A TTORNEY.

Patented 0a. 13, 1925.

UNITE STATES GFDBGE A. 3mm, 0] 11m, COLORADO. STORAGE-BATTERY INDICATOR.

Application fled Kay 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. JENSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Storage-Battery Indicators, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings.

is invention relates to fluid level indi- I cators for storage batteries and more articularly to ,a device of such character a apted for use upon the storage batteries of vehicles, which are usually so placed as to be diflicult of access and which are accordingly often neglected. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be ap lied to a storage battery without materia ly altering the present construction thereof, the alterations consisting mere- 1 in the formation of enlarged openings in the filling caps of the battery.

A still further object of the invention is to rovide automatic means for indicating a an rous low level of fluid within any cell of t e battery.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying draw' wherein, for the urpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a battery having a signaling system constructed in accordance with my invention, the connections of the signaling stem being disclosed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partially in section of the storage battery, showing the arrangement of the float;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Referring now more particularl to the drawings, the numeral 10 general indicates a battery case havin arrange therein a plurality ofcells 11 vin the usual filling caps 12 b means of whic fluid may be admitted to t e cell. It is well known to those familiar with the art that when this fluid reaches a level below the electrodes 13 of any of the cells and the battery is operated for any appreciable period of time, while in this condition the cell is greatl injured or destroyed. In accordance wit my invention, I form'in each filling cap 12 an enlarged opening 14 through which d1- 1924. Serial Io. 710,859.

rect a stem 15 of insulating material havin at its lower end a float 16 constructed'o such material that it is not injured by the acid contents of the battery. The upper ends of these stems are provided with contact members 17 of any suitable conducting material which is preferably lead-coated to prevent its corrosion and destruction by the attery fumes.

It is well known to those familiar with the art that in the t e of stora e battery employed in automo 1 es these ling caps are usually aligned with one another and with handles 18 disposed at the ends of the battery case. The case and preferably the handles of the case are employed to'support a pair of insulating mountings 19 upon which are mounted a pair of spaced rods 20 extending longitudinally of the battery and at opposite sides of the fillin caps 12. One of these rods is connecte to one terminal 21 of the storage battery, the other terminal battery being of an electric illuminating element 23 as indicated. The second rod 20 is connected to the other terminal of the illuminating element 23. It will be obvious that when the level within any of the cells lowers sufliciently to enable the head 17 of the stem 15 thereof to engage the rods 20, a connection will be made between these rods establishing a circuit between the terminals of the storage battery, which circuit includes the illuminating element with the result that this illuminating element will be rendered active and the operator of the vehicle apprised of the fact that in at least one cell of the battery the fluid level is dan erously lowered. Since 0 eration of the i uminating element will corrected, no opportunity is given permitting the operator to forget this fact and accordingly liabilit of inju of the battery is greatly redu The r s 20 are preferaJb y spaced a enable remova of the caps 12 without disturbing the rods.

It will be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

22 of the storage, connected to one terminal,

continued until this is art a sufiicient distance to I 'claim'ccombination with a storage battery having the usual in an open circuit means operating upon a ering of the levels of flui cells, of a signal connected with the battery, and

redetermined lowin any of the cells of thebattery for closing the circuit of said signal, com longitudinal rising spaced bars extending y of'the" storage battery at ofi;

pos ite ssidesof the filling cape of the thereof, said cap s having openings therein,

floats;v arranged within each cell, an insulated ba-r connected with each float and extendmg through the o ning of the cap, and a contact bar carri' by each bar and adapted to connect the first named bars upon a pre- GEORGE A. JENSEN. 

